Dobelle ends bumpy ride at UH

He hands in a report required under his departure settlement

Former University of Hawaii President Evan Dobelle turned in a 424-page research paper earlier this month, ending his tumultuous relationship with the state's public university system.

Simply titled "Resource Document," the triple-spaced paper includes tables and footnotes and examined case studies of how universities help shape the development of the cities and communities around them.

With the university's acceptance of the paper, Dobelle's employment with UH ended on Aug. 14.

Dobelle was paid $125,000 a year plus the salary increases that all faculty received each July to complete the project.

"I've found the manuscript of interest as a resource document, particularly the case studies cataloging the experiences of other universities in their communities," UH President David McClain said through a spokeswoman.

McClain supervised the completion of the paper.

But while Dobelle collected his last university paycheck, his five years of service and contributions to the retirement system allow him to receive a state pension of roughly $20,000 a year until he dies.

The university hired Dobelle in July 2001 at a salary of $442,000 a year. But Dobelle and the Board of Regents clashed over his hiring of friends at high salaries, travel expenses and the use of his $200,000-a-year protocol fund. Regents also questioned whether he would be able to deliver on his promises to improve the university and raise money.

The regents fired Dobelle in June 2004 and then rescinded the firing and allowed him to resign in August.

As part of the settlement that led to his resignation, Dobelle was paid $1.05 million, and he agreed to give up tenure and potential lifetime faculty at UH-Manoa in exchange for the two-year research position. The university also has two more $20,000 payments on a $2 million life insurance policy. But the university is supposed to get the money back when the benefits are paid out.

Dobelle took a full-time job at the New England Board of Higher Education in December.

His research paper touches on his experience as UH president and looks at case studies of how nine universities influenced the communities around them.

In a section titled "Additional College/Community Partnerships," Dobelle touched on his experience and plans in Hawaii as an example of the benefits of university and civic leaders working together.

"Today, very significant progress has been made in Kona, West Oahu, and especially the medical center in Kakaako," Dobelle wrote.

In his conclusions chapter, Dobelle also wrote about leadership in Hawaii and quoted researchers Juvenna Chang and Lynda Stone, who said that in Hawaii "politics is so interwoven into daily activity that institutional aims may undermine common goals ... (and) difficulties occur because within sophisticated, complex organizations, politics is always close at hand."

Dobelle's attorney, Rick Fried, said he is not sure if Dobelle plans to submit his research for publication elsewhere.

"I think a lot of people would have an interest in it," Fried said. "Everyone's quite pleased with the job he has done."

Fried added that while Dobelle's employment relationship with the university is over, "he (Dobelle) feels a lot of aloha for the university and everybody in Hawaii."